Government denies report of Cabinet reshuffle

Premier Lin Chuan (林全)

Taipei, July 14 (CNA) The government denied Friday a local media report that Premier Lin Chuan (林全) is set to be replaced by Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te (賴清德) in September in a Cabinet reshuffle.

In response, Presidential Office spokesman Sidney Lin (林鶴明) said that there are no plans for a Cabinet reshuffle at present, rebutting the report as speculation.

Lin also made similar remarks, saying that no Cabinet reshuffle is being considered.

"The president and I have no issues with the operations of the current Cabinet and other related matters," he said.

Meanwhile that day, Lai expressed support for the incumbent premier, noting that there have been some rumors and reports, but adding that they are false.

According to a report in the Chinese-language China Times Weekly, a new Cabinet is set to be formed as early as September, now that the major bills -- on the government's forward-looking infrastructure plan and its budget, and the pension reforms -- have been passed in the Legislature.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Lai have reached a consensus on the new Cabinet, the report claimed.